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River Falls knifing suspect identified, charged, on the run

The man accused of slashing and badly wounding another man with a knife outside a downtown River Falls bar around 2 a.m. Sunday, July 27, has been charged by the Pierce County district attorney with a felony substantial battery.

Though criminally charged, Cory Leigh Riley, 26, has yet to be found and brought into custody.

The criminal complaint says Riley and his girlfriend were living in an apartment in River Falls in the 100 block of West Johnson Street. They apparently moved out on Monday, July 28 – the day after the knife attack.

Their whereabouts are unknown. A bench warrant for Riley’s arrest was signed Wednesday, Aug. 6, by Pierce County Judge Joe Boles.

The warrant says the county will extradite Riley if he’s found in another state.

According to the complaint, the woman said to be Riley’s girlfriend is Karley Kaiser.

She and another woman, Nicole M. Larson, from Baldwin, were said to be drinking with Riley at Main Street bars in River Falls before the knife attack.

After the attack, the three fled south on Main Street. Their images were captured on surveillance video by cameras outside Family Fresh Market and Dairy Queen. Police searched the area but couldn’t find the three.

Riley, Kaiser and Larson are all believed to be from the Baldwin area.

The victim, 25-year-old Roger Anderson, town of Kinnickinnic, was slashed in the arm by what was called a “straight-blade hunting type knife.”

The stabbing left Anderson with a roughly “three-inch, very deep, gaping laceration” to the bicep area of his right arm. He bled profusely while friends wrapped his arm with T-shirt.

Anderson eventually was taken by ambulance to Regions Hospital in St. Paul for surgery.

Anderson said he’d been out with friends celebrating a birthday.

Around bar closing time this group of friends met up with Riley and the two women who were with him. Somehow, a commotion started.

Before long Riley was said to be screaming, waving a knife around and threatening to kill people.

Anderson ran over to try to grab Riley’s arm and subdue him until police arrived. He was instead gashed by Riley who broke away.